2007 SsangYong Actyon Pick-up

SsangYong find it hard to survive during these difficult economic conditions, but somehow it managed to remain in the competition and continues to sale its vehicles worldwide.

The manufacturer is especially known for its SUVs and pick-ups which come with an affordable price tag and are fitted with all modern common sense features.

The 2007 Actyon Sports pickup was sold until 2012 when it was replaced by the new generation. The old model was offered with both 2WD and 4WD configurations and was powered by either a petrol or a diesel engine. The vehicle features a ladder frame chassis and has a kerb weight of 1900 kg.

Design

The 2007 Ssang Yong Actyon has a pretty unique design language. Though, despite its bold style, the Actyon won’t win you any beauty, awards as its strange lines were never appreciated by the public.

The front is the strangest part of the vehicle, mostly due to its dubious “V” shaped grille which slants forward in an intimidating manner. The grille is flanked by a set of sharp headlights which look pretty good and give the truck a mean look.

The hood is slightly raised further enhancing the unique appearance of the truck and it’s also a bit sloped to offer a proper straight road visibility.

Compared with the bold lines of the body, the bumper looks pretty simple and it’s fitted with a pair of circular turning lights.

Along the flanks there is a pronounced shoulder line which breaks up the monotony of the side body panels.
The load bed measures 1275mm long
and 1120mm wide (between the wheel arches) with a depth of 525mm. Cargo carrying is limited to 370kg while the braked towing capacity is rated at 2300kg (unbraked is 750kg).

Interior

To facilitated access into the cab, the SsangYong Actyon Pickup sits lower to the ground than most of its rivals. Once on board you are met by a pretty car-like interior which is at par with its modern rivals. The dashboard is laid out in a fairly attractive and functional way, giving the cabin a sporty feel.

We also like the circular air vents as they cope great with the interior design. Needless to say that everything is within easy reach and we continued to be impressed by the fact that such a refined ergonomy can be found in a not-so-popular Korean pickup.

The driver is greeted by a four spoke steering wheel which features a set of useful controls and offers a confident grab. In front of the driver, there is a clean instrument cluster which is fitted with three big gauges.

The interior comfort is further enhanced by the supportive leather seats which can be electronically adjusted. Though, the seats could’ve come with more padding. Comfort on the rear seat is decent too, and all three passengers get headrests and plenty of legroom.

We also like the way that SsangYong integrated the central arm rest in the same block with the gear knob and the center stack.

One annoying thing however, is the lack of a foot rest for the models equipped with automatic transmission. Moreover, we also found the footwell a bit too narrow for our tastes.

You’ll find two cup holders hidden underneath a sliding cover, a decent-sized glove box and a useful storage compartment in the arm rest. Other storage spaces include a sunglasses holder and door pockets.

Engines and performance

The SsangYong Actyon is equipped with a decent 4 speed automatic gearbox combined with a 2.0 liter diesel engine. The engine has limited vibrations and offers enough punch too keep you happy.

Right after 1800 rpms the diesel’s power is starting to be felt like a hummer, propelling the truck forward with tenacity. The generous 310 Nm torque will also keep the grip strong longer than you expect, being available between 1800 and 2700 rpm.
The 141 hp engine features a 32-bit ECU and the common rail injection pressure is set at 1,600 bar.

For a diesel unit, the 2.0 liter is surprisingly smooth at both low and high speeds, showing it’s roar only when it’s close to the redline.

2007 SsangYong Actyon Engines Specifications

Engine

hp @ rpm

Nm @ rpm

2.0 liter

141 @ 4000

210 @ 1800 - 2700

Ride and handling

The SsangYong Actyon’s rack and pinion steering is well weighted letting you know exactly what the wheels are planning. The ride experience it’s pretty good for a pickup. There are some shakes over bigger bumps, but overall the experience is pretty close to one offered by an SUV.

For the comfortable ride we must to give credit to the rear coil spring setup - used instead of a classical leaf spring configuration. The vehicle is also equipped with a 5-link rear axle at the rear and double wishbone setup at the front.

Verdict

The SsangYong is clearly not as rugged as some of its rival pickups, but it doesn’t even needs to be, as it was designed as a lifestyle vehicle and it does its job brilliantly well.

The cabin is among the most comfortable you’ll find around and it’s fitted with all sorts of modern features and high class materials. The engine is also up to the task and deals great with heavy weights and highway driving. You’ll also like the ride and handling which are better than expected.

On the other hand, no one will praise the awkward exterior design and the load bed is smaller than usual, affecting the truck’s practicality.